Planning to perfection - A guideline on wedding timings

I have been photographing weddings for almost 12 years , in that time I’ve learned a thing or two about weddings and this means I have plenty of advice to give if you’re planning yours! One thing I get asked about a lot is wedding day timings, so I thought why not write a blog about it? One of my roles as your wedding photographer is to help plan the timeline .

The Importance of Detailed Planning

I never photograph a wedding without having every little detail planned to perfection with the couple. Around one month before the wedding day I will read up on all the information you’ve sent to me via your wedding questionnaire document, and I will give you an in depth reply regarding timings, plan B alternatives for bad weather and much more. However, I am aware that some couples want a clearer idea on their timeline before we reach the one month countdown. I hope this blog will serve as a useful guide to anyone who needs it.

How long should you leave for group photos, what does a wedding day timeline look like? Look no further - all the answers are here. Sit back with a cuppa, a note pad and pen and take in this comprehensive guidance that will help you to plan the perfect wedding day! Let’s get started!

Insights from Real Wedding Timelines

Take a look at some timelines from real weddings that I have photographed throughout the years! I have chosen weddings from different months of the year, some were held all at one venue and others weren’t.

Vicky & James: Managing Travel and Locations

The sun didn’t set til 20:10 on this beautiful spring day, so this meant we didn’t have to rush to get all the outdoor photos done before the daylight went. Unfortunately Vicky and James did lose just under an hour of photo coverage because time was being used up travelling from the morning prep location to the church, then from the church to the reception venue. This was quite a busy timeline and the couple didn’t have a great deal of down time between the ceremony and when the food was served.

Rebecca & Jacob: Simple and Stress-Free

This was such a simple and stress free wedding timeline, which allowed the couple to spend a lot of time relaxing with their guests. The sun was incredibly bright on this hot spring day and this did make the group photos a little challenging as people were squinting (there wasn’t any shade for us to use in the area that the couple wanted to have their group photos taken). Another downside of the beautiful weather was that it took the guests a while to gravitate indoors to the dance floor.

Sarah & Oliver: Large Venues and Portrait Time

This couple’s wedding venue is HUGE so I’m not exaggerating when I say there are endless photo locations to use! The travelling combined with the many photo locations meant the couple needed to allocate extra time for their wedding portraits and they were okay with this. With the long summer day, the couple could have chosen to have their wedding start later in the day and it wouldn’t have been a problem daylight wise. However, the disadvantage of the late sunset was that it wasn’t dark enough for their sparkler photos.

Emma & Aimee: Afternoon Venue Advantage

This couple used the 19:20 sunset to their advantage by having an afternoon wedding. Because the whole day took place in the one venue, they were able to make the most out of every minute of their day. There’s something very relaxed about an afternoon wedding when you don't have to factor in travel time between different locations.

Key Factors Impacting Your Wedding Timeline

• Travel Time: Multiple locations can use up significant photo coverage time.
• Sunset Times: Sunset varies (e.g., 19:20 to 20:10) and dictates the window for outdoor and sparkler photos.
• Venue Scale: Huge venues may require land rover travel or extra time to reach beauty spots.
• Lighting Conditions: Bright sun can make group photos challenging due to squinting and lack of shade.